A work in progress
by Apel
Summary: Miss Fisher is bored but that change when a particular lady with a new case arrives on her doorstep.
1. Openings

**Author note: **I haven't read any of the books so this piece is solely based on what I have seen in the TV-Series. I'm quite slow in updating so I apologies for that already. As any author I would love some feedback.

**Disclaimer:** I of course do not own the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries universe and therefore disclaim any rights etc.

**Story:** This story takes place somewhere in between season one and season two and was thought up before the series two started showing.

* * *

**Openings**

A new day arrived in sunny Melbourne and with it a new case.

When the doorbell rang it was Jane who was first to open the door. She was just leaving the parlour where one of her schoolbooks had been lying and was on her way back to the kitchen when she heard the doorbell.

"I got it" she yelled to the others who she knew were most likely in the kitchen finishing of their morning meal.

Outside the door a Miss Rosie Sanderson where waiting to be let in. Ones more caught in her own thoughts she started questioning her logic off being here. But before she got to go far down that particular strain of toughs – again, the door opened and a young girl answered with a cheery

"Hello, can I help you?"

With a small smile on her lips the lady said "Good morning my name is Miss Sanderson, is Miss Fisher the Private Detective home? I would like to have a word with her on a matter of mine"

This was quite a regular request in this house and Jane quickly let Miss Sanderson in to the foyer of the house and further in to the parlour with a "Of course, just wait here I'll fetch her for you" and turned to go to the kitchen only to run in to Mr Butler who had come up behind her.

"Oh you scared me there – this lady wanted to speak with Miss Fisher" Jane said to him.

"Right I take it from here you go along to school, Cec and Bert a waiting at the back with the car" Mr Butler announced.

"Got it – see you later" and with that Jane was off with her book and not for the first time she wished she would be allowed to help in on some of the cases Phryne worked on, it all sounded so possible exciting.

"Can I offer you some tea while we wait for Miss Fisher, Miss ..?" Mr Butler asked the lady while taking her coat and hat.

"Sanderson, Rosie Sanderson and yes thank you that would be lovely" Miss Sanderson replied feeling a bit more relaxed now that she was here.

"Please do take a seat while you wait" Mr Butler said while gesturing to the couch.

"Thank you" Miss Sanderson replied and sat down.

Mr Butler hung the coat and hat in the foyer and went to the kitchen to find Dot to tell her to go find Miss Fisher.

"Dot would you go up to Miss Fisher and tell her a lady by the name Rosie Sanderson is here to see her? I believe is about a case of some sort"

"Of course Mr Butler I will be right along" Dot answered and went upstairs while Mr Butler began making some tea for their guest. He tough a nice chamomile tea would do. Yes something calming - these type of guest usually was a bit on edge.

Meanwhile in the parlour Miss Sanderson was studying the room while waiting for Mr Butler or Miss Fisher to arrive. It was her first time here at the house and already from the outside it promised to be quite intriguing. It was quite modern but judging from what see had heard about Miss Fisher it fit her personality as a young vibrant single woman. How the young girl fitted in she wasn't quite aware of yet.

Upstairs Miss Phryne Fisher was adorning her outfit for the day. It had been quite a long evening yesterday and she had indulged in sleeping in. When Dot had come upstairs to inform her of her guest she was already in the process of getting up, albeit slowly, but now she picked up the pace in the face of a new intriguing case. She hoped it would present her with a challenge she was quite bored with the mundane task of finding some lady's missing jewellery's or locating a runaway dog. A possible murder wouldn't be so bad right around now well except for the poor fellow being murder of course but Miss Fisher was as one might have guessed - utterly bored!

As she descended the stairs in her light green dress down to the ground floor she came up with all possibly scenarios to what this lady's request might be. She really hoped it was something fascinating. She rounded the corner to the parlour and took in the lady sitting there. She guessed that they lady was properly in her laid thirties beginning on forties she looked to be of some wealth and standard showing in her need but fashion styled appearance and the way she hold herself.

"Miss Sanderson I presume" she said

"I'm Miss Phryne Fisher is a pleasure to meet you - what can I do for you?" Phryne said while extending her hand to Miss Sanderson who had risen from her seat when Miss Fisher entered.

Miss Sanderson took it and greeted her with "Miss Fisher so nice to finally meet you I have heard so much about you."

"All good I hope and please call my Phryne" Phryne answered and gestured to Miss Sanderson to sit down again while she took the chair opposite of the couch.

As they sat down Mr Butler came into the room with the tea and some buns mainly for Miss Fisher who yet hadn't had her breakfast. "Thank you Mr Butler" Phryne said and started pouring the tea for her and Miss Sanderson. She took a bun for herself and gestured to Miss Sanderson to take one to if she liked but she shook her head in a no thank you gesture.

"I'm here to ask you for help in your capacity of Private Detective Miss Fisher" Miss Sanderson stated.

Phryne overlooked the lack of use of her first name and waited for Miss Sanderson to carry on with her request.

"It's quite a….delicate matter" Miss Sanderson continued after a pause.

"Do tell" Miss Fisher replied sitting more on edge in her seat.

At that moment the doorbell rang out again, this time it was Mr Butler who opened the door to the new guest with an "Ah Hello Inspector, do come in. Miss Fisher is currently in the parlour entertaining a new client."

"Thank you" Inspector Robinson replied and took his hat off. "I'm afraid I have to disturb her" he continued saying while proceeding to the parlour.

As he entered he started saying his apologies "Miss Fisher I'm sorry to dis…Rosie?" but got side tracked when he saw the lady sitting across from Miss Fisher.

"Jack, so good to see you this is Miss Sanderson but I take it you two know each other already?" Phryne said a little amused and a little puzzled. Jack looked like a fish out of water as he stood there trying to make sense of the fact that these particular two women was in the same room.

"I yes of course this is Rosie eh" Jack paused slightly

"Sanderson" Rosie interjected on his behalf

"Yes... My wife, I mean ex-wife."


	2. Revelations Part One

_Last time on Miss Fisher's Murder mysteries: _

"Jack, so good to see you, this is Miss Sanderson but I take it you two know each other already?" Phryne said a little amused and a little puzzled. Jack looked like a fish out of water as he stood there trying to make sense of the fact that these particular two women was in the same room.

"I yes of course this is Rosie eh" Jack paused slightly

"Sanderson" Rosie interjected on his behalf

"Yes... My wife, I mean ex-wife."

* * *

**Revelations - part one**

"Really?" Miss Fisher exclaimed

"Then why are you here and not at the police station? I'm sure Jack – Inspector Robinson, would be perfectly able to help you with your delicate problem"

Jack, recovering slightly from the shock of seeing his former wife in the company of Miss Fisher, paid notice to the words "delicate" and "problem". Taking a step further into the room and thereby closer to the inhabitants, he looked worried at Rosie who seemed not too pleased with his presence.

"Are you in any trouble?" he asked of her.

Rosie really didn't fancy telling Jack, hence her showing up at Miss Fishers door and not his. So she went with the attempt known as; Distraction, to try and buy her some time.

"Jack I though you would be down at the station at this time of the day, but perhaps you have an urgent case to discuss with Miss Fisher?" Rosie uttered sweetly.

"Nothing that can't wait" Jack answered vaguely.

Miss Fisher gestured to him to take the seat next to Rosie on the couch and Mr. Butler arrived to ask the Inspector if he wished any refreshment. After a polite "No thank you" from Jack, Mr. Butler returned to the kitchen to read a fascinating article about dog racing - the new big thing*. It detailed the short history of dog racing since its beginning in 1927 and had some exclusive interviews from the more successful breeders.

"So" Jack continued "You were saying?"

Rosie pulled the second card: Playing dumb with a pinch of flattery.

"It's really nothing Jack. That's why I didn't came to see you at the station, I know how busy you are with all the high profile cases and I didn't want to trouble you with this minor trifle" she said.

"I have the time" he said matter of factly.

As Rosie went for a diversion in the lines of "I forgot something on the stove, got to go!" Miss Fisher broke in.

"Not that it isn't fascinating seeing you too… conversing if one can describe it as such, I find myself more and more intrigued and eager to hear what you so expertly are trying to hide from the Inspector" she stated.

Rosie looked hesitating at Miss Fisher and then on to Jack.

"I'll properly end up spilling it all to the Inspector anyway, so why don't you just get it over and done with, it can't be that bad" Phryne said with a little smile, trying to coax it out of her.

"It's not that it's bad per say" Rosie continued after a short pause "It's just that I know Jack will think that it is stupid and a waste of my or anyone else's time… And he wouldn't be the first one" she added.

Phryne and Jack looked interesting at her and kept quiet, in hope that she would continue on her own.

"It's…. I…. Myself and some other women have received some… letters for a while now. In the beginning I just disregarded them without thinking or telling anybody, but lately more have come and the tone has shifted a bit. I recently found out that I'm not the only one receiving these letters"

"Do you have a copy of one of these letters with you Miss Sanderson?" Phryne asked.

"I…Yes, yes of course" Rosie dug though her handbag and came up with two letters and handed Phryne and Jack one each.

"It's properly nothing, but I have heard the most awful stories from some of my friends and family who also have received letters of a… similar context"

Phryne and Jack had opened their letters and where now in the process of reading though them however the Inspector hadn't gone on long before he exclaimed:

"What utter nonsense. Rosie you can't possible take any of this seriously. Whoever sent you these letters is clearly just out to make a laugh out of the people idiotic enough to take them seriously!"

"That's what I was thinking at first to Jack! But then the letters started changing and demanding people to do particular things or they would suffer horrible" she took out a new letter from her handbag and passed it on to Jack.

"What does it say Jack?" Phryne asked.

As Jack was about to read the letter out loud, the telephone rang in the foyer, startling them all a little. Mr. Butler was quick to answer it and joined them in the parlor after a "Just a moment Hugh" to the person on the telephone.

"Inspector, Constable Collins is on the telephone for you. He says it's urgent"

Almost swearing Jack rose and went to answer the call from Hugh.

* * *

* According to the first modern greyhound racing occurred in Australia on the 18 of May 1927. The first one in England was the year before. In the 30's and on to the 50's Capuchin monkeys were trained to ride racing dogs for sport over a short course that sometimes included hurdles and water jumps.

* * *

I normally response to reviews via PM but when I can't I will write it here at the end of the following chapter. So lots of thanks to 'Guest', Peanutss, Winonymous, Karen and RuthieG for reviewing the first chapter!

Winonymous: Thank you! Me to XD Nah kidding, I have a pretty good idea where it's heading and it will move further away from canon in time. Duly noted and I have changed the paragraphs so it's more readable ;) Thank you again, I defiantly want to try updating faster do to you and the others reviews.

Karen: I know, but it was a case of getting myself together to the point of even uploading a new story, and I went for it. You will properly be glad though to hear that I now have a beta on it . Thanks, great to know the concept is working so far. I have thought about it, but I'm afraid of mixing the two together in a way that is disrupting – I will consider it again though.

Peanutss: Thank you!

Guest: Glad to hear it! Hope you will like the new chapter Me to!


	3. Revelations Part Two

_Last time on Miss Fisher's Murder mysteries: _

As Jack was about to read the letter out loud, the telephone rang in the foyer, startling them all a little. Mr. Butler was quick to answer it and joined them in the parlor after a "Just a moment Hugh" to the person on the telephone.

"Inspector, Constable Collins is on the telephone for you. He says it's urgent"

Almost swearing Jack rose and went to answer the call from Hugh.

* * *

**Revelations - part two**

"Robinson here, what is it Collins?" Jack said into the telephone.

"Hello sir, just got a call, there has been a fight down at the docks, seems to have been quite extensive. Wilson and Jones are down there requesting your presence, as one of the men has allegedly died from his injuries"

Jack sighed, duty called "All right I'll go from here, meet me there Collins" Jack answered and went to the parlor to make his leave.

"I have to leave, police business" at these words Phryne peeked up "It's just a minor skirmish nothing serious" he said directed at Miss Fisher, who to his taste looked a bit too eager. He turned to Rosie and pointed out once again that she shouldn't worry about the letters and that it was just someone's idea of a bad joke.

"Miss Fisher I will be back later to discuss the issue on which I original came here for, that is if you have the time?" Jack addressed Phryne

"Of course, you a welcome to join me for supper this evening if you like" Phryne asked looking slightly in Miss Sanderson's direction.

"That will be perfect. Good day Miss Fisher, Rosie" he said with a little tilt of his head and went to the foyer where Mr. Butler waited with his coat and hat.

"Thank you Mr. Butler" and with that Inspector Robinson was out the door and on his way to the docks.

In the parlor Miss Fisher turned her attention back to her female guest and the matter at hand.

"Can I see the letter Miss Sanderson?"

Rosie nodded and handed her the letter Jack had given her back before he went to answer the telephone. Phryne took it and began reading it, it started more or less the same as the one before but at the end it took a different approach.

_Chain of happiness, Good health, Good luck. _

_Continue this chain. Write nine copies of this letter and send the copies to nine different people. Wish them happiness, within nine days following the day that you send this letter an event will occur that will overwhelm you with joy. If you take this chain for a hoax, unhappiness will befall you. This chain was begun by five ladies of the American army A. E. D. , and it has made the circuit of the world five times. It has been translated into every language. _

_Mr. Putz, of Michigan, owes his fortune to the fact that he scrupulously followed these instructions. _

_Mr. Owen, from Sordt (Victoria), won the first prize of the Michigan lottery, 1,200,000 pounds sterling. _

_Sentos of Stroo, along with many others, not having taken this chain seriously, saw his home ruined within eight days . . . Continue this chain*. _

_Write your name in the chain below so it can be seen that the chain is continued…_

_Mary Williams, Evelyn Walker_

_Dorothy Smith, Ruth Kelly_

_Margaret Taylor, Eleanor Harris_

_Mildred Johnson, Patricia Anderson_

_Elizabeth Jones, Bessie Robinson_

And here was where the similarities with the first letter ended and it took on a new style.

… _or you will suffer great loses. _

_It is no longer enough to send out letters, to be certain of great fortune to you and the ones you love you most also do the following. Make a potion mixed of water, dirt from your garden, the flowers of eight lavenders, a pinch of sage and one of your own teardrops. Let it rest beside you in sleep and on the eight night let a window be left open so the luck can flow in. Pour the potion out around your doorstep on the following day and great fortune with befall you and yours. _

_But it will only work if you continue this chain. Failed to follow an unhappiness will befall you._

"I got this letter from a woman who had followed the instruction in the first letter I showed you. She received this two months or so after she had received the first one. She chose not to follow the instruction given at the end of this letter and nine days after she found her dog dead in her garden and all her plants as well" Rosie said and continued.

"Another woman she knew followed the instruction and on the day she poured the so called 'lucky potion' out on her doorstep she received a postcard from a long lost aunt. When her maid went shopping she received groceries for free and then later her husband came home early and told her he had won a trip to the Vue Grande Hotel in Queenscliff** in a raffle at his office. He didn't even have a recollection of joining the raffle! Of course it could all be a coincidence but I think it sounds just a little too good to be. I trust this friend of mine to speak the truth." Rosie finished relieved to finally have gotten the hold story out.

Miss Fisher looked thoughtful a while and then asked Rosie if she had ever sent any letters herself

"No, and I never got the second letter myself."

"Curios. Has anything bad occurred to you or any one you know after the first type of letter flourished?"

"Not really no, someone complained about missing their trains or running out of sugar and similar things but that's hardly anything new. A few had a bit of good luck but again nothing out of the ordinary" Rosie answered and continued,

"I have heard similar story's, as that of my friends, been whispered around at tea parties and other functions recently, they are getting more and more elaborate" Rosie told Miss Fisher.

"Do you know if these people had received the first letter?" Phryne asked, a pattern was beginning to emerge in her head.

"I can't be sure, some have mentioned the first letter but others just talk of this last one. So Miss Fisher do you think this is worth looking into, or do you also believe it to be a harmless hoax or a matter of hysteria?" Rosie asked of her, looking a bit anxious but with a smile on her lip when she said the word hysteria.

"I must admit on behalf of the letters and your accounts of events, that there does seem to be a different design to this latest chain of letters that wasn't present in the first. But I must talk to this friend of yours and the other lady to make a more accurate opinion on this matter" Phryne replied her.

"Of course all you need and whatever fee you are accustomed to get I of course will endow. I'm quite anxious to see a stop to whatever this is if possible" Rosie complied.

Phryne chose to overlook the part of payment.

"I will try contacting some of my relations and hear if they have any experience with these letters. Would it be possible to meet with your friend tomorrow?" Phryne asked.

"Yes I think that would be possible. Here is the address" Rosie said and gave her a card from her purse with the name and address of her friend, a Mrs. Johnson Phryne read.

"I will telephone later with the time when I have spoken with her" Rosie concluded.

"Please do" Phryne said and gave Rosie her number.

"Thank you Miss Fisher, Phryne, for listening I look forward to tomorrow. Give Jack my regards tonight" Rosie said while standing up and giving her hand to Phryne who as well rose up, taking notice of the use of her given name for the first time. They went to the foyer where Mr. Butler came and helped Miss Sanderson with her coat and gave her, her hat. They said their goodbyes and Miss Sanderson was on her way again.

"Thank you Mr. Butler" Phryne said "You have been most helpful, would you go tell Dot that we are going out in a while?"

"Certainly Miss" Mr. Butler answered and went to go find Dot.

Meanwhile Miss Fisher had a telephone call to make.

* * *

* Texts that appeal to superstition to encourage their copying or publication have circulated for over a thousand years. Beginning around 1900, copy quotas and deadlines were added, and claims of divine authorship and magical protection were removed. The first chain letter to cheat money out of people ("Send-I-dime-letter") is from 1935. This scam worked by asking people to send money to the person at the top of the list and then add themselves to the list when they mail the letter on.

The first part of the chain letter I have used here in the story comes from a real letter found in France 1928. In that time period most letters sent where of the so called "Luck chain letters". Luck chain letters appeal primarily to superstition, promising good luck if the letter is copied and distributed and bad luck if it is not.

** Wiki on Queensclifff as a tourist spot: Queenscliff became a tourist destination in the late 19th century, with visitors arriving from Melbourne after a two-hour journey on the paddle steamer, Ozone. The opening of a railway line to Geelong in 1879 brought increasing tourists to the area, and numerous luxury hotels (or coffee palaces) were built to accommodate them. The Vue Grande Hotel was built in 1883.


	4. Religion

_Last time on Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries_

"Thank you Mr Butler" Phryne said "You have been most helpful, would you go tell Dot that we are going out in a while?"

"Certainly Miss" Mr Butler answered and went to go find Dot.

Meanwhile Miss Fisher had a telephone call to make.

* * *

**Religion**

If there was one person Phryne knew who had the pulse on what happened in the social circles of better society it would be her Aunt Prudence.

"This is the resident of Mrs Stanley, what can I do for you?"

"Ah, Sarah good" Phryne erupted glad to have the housekeeper on the other end "I was wondering if my aunt could see me for tea in an hour or so?" Phryne asked sweetly

"Just a moment Miss Fisher" Sarah answered having guest who was behind the not so sophisticated call.

…

"She said if you insist on coming, why then not make it a lunch?" Sarah said into the telephone a moment later.

"Perfect. Dot and I will be there at 1200 hours!" Phryne exclaimed and hung up not hearing the huff in the other end.

Now she had almost two hours to do some investigating in before the lunch at Aunt Prudence, where should one start?

"We are going to Mrs Stanley's for lunch?" Dot asked. She and Mr Butler had come down the steps of the stairway at the same time Phryne finished her call.

"Yes, but before that we have a great deal of things to do, we have a new case on our hands" Phryne exclaimed happily almost clapping her hands together.

"Firstly we are going to seek the higher powers, or that is you are"

"Miss Fisher?"

"This case has a touch of spiritually to it and who better than your Father Grogan to help us with it" Miss Fisher said while taking her very fashionable red coat on and taking her cloves and hat with her.

"Are you coming Dot or are you just going to stare at me all morning?" she said from the open doorway.

"Yes Miss" Dot answered and hurriedly went to take on her coat as well.

"What is this case about Miss" She asked while putting on her things.

"No time to lose Dot hurry up and I will tell you in the car"

They both said a hurried good day to Mr Butler, who closed the door after them, and they went on their way to see Father Grogan from Dot's parish.

In the car Phryne handed the second letter Miss Robinson had shown her to Dot before saying anything else. Dot took the letter questioningly.

"It's not right to read other people private mail, Miss"

"Don't worry Dot, this is not so private seeing as multiple people have received similar letters. Now Dot, get to it" Phryne said and sat the car in gear and raced down the street.

* * *

As they reach the nearby church, much to Dorothy's own astonishment, she had accomplished to read the letter before they got there.

"What I don't understand Miss is this part about the potion that sounds almost like witchcraft"

"That's the only part you don't understand?" Phryne asked a bit stunned.

"Well yes Miss" Dot answered innocently.

"Have you ever received letters of this type before Dot?"

"Yes Miss"

"And prey tells what did you do with them?"

"Well I send out letters of course. It's never good to break a chain. Everyone says so"

"Do they now" Phryne said dryly and rolled her eyes.

"Come on Dot; let's see what your Father makes of this "witchcraft" as you put it.

They went into the church and headed up the middle aisle in the pursue of Father Grogan, who evidently Miss Fisher was the first to spot.

"Ah Father Grogan, Dorothy here has told me so much about you" Phryne exclaimed in a welcoming voice.

"Likewise" The Father answered in a more subdued tone.

"Dorothy, good to see you. Will you be joining us this weekend for the raffle?" He asked Dot.

"Y-Yes, I'm on the baking list together with Miss Eliza and Miss Christine" She answered hurriedly.

"Excellent! I will look forward to your famous lemon cream puffs"

"Father we have come here today to get your opinion on something highly significant and maybe to hear if any in your flock, has had any experience with what I'm about to show you" Phryne intersected

"Now Miss as you well know I can't reveal anything heard in confession" Father Grogan hastily insisted, but still his interest was piqued.

"What is this highly significant matter you want me to look into?" He asked.

"This letter came to my doorstep today and I was wondering what you make of it, particular the last bit, it has poor Dot terrible frightened."

Dorothy looked puzzled for a bit then put on her most worried face for Father Grogan. The priest took out a pair of classes from the folds of his robe and opened the letter to read through it. Meanwhile Phryne looked for any reaction either way on the priests face and Dorothy stood trying to look ever so worried, which turned out not to be that difficult since she just realized she hadn't planned on baking her lemon cream puffs for this weekend's baking.

"This is indeed most disturbing" He finally said coming to the end of the letter.

"Did any of your congregation ever received a letter like this, you don't have to name names Father"

"Well not like these. The occasional chain of luck letter has been known to flourish around, and when asked, I have always counselled the person to do what they deem right and reminded them that only God truly grants us luck in our lives."

"What do you make of this last bit?" Phryne asked.

"It seems like it's been added somehow. It's not in character with the original purpose of these letters I would say. Though they keep in spirit with the theme of nine." He ended referring to the potion being poured out on the ninth day.

"Would such a concoction really bring luck in either the good or bad variety?"

"Nonsense is a complete hoax! And it's completely against the church to perform these kinds of rituals; they only lead to one place. It's clearly the works of a madman or a-a witch who wants to pollute us with their nonsense! Dorothy do not take note of this. As long as one upholds his or her fate and do not practice such foul customs God shall always protect his, do not fear"

"Why thank you Father for your words. I for once feel much more relieved. Don't you Dot? Now if you will excuse us, we have a lunching to attend with my Aunt" Phryne said and took the letter out of the agitated priest hand and with a small thank you from Dot, they were on the way again.

* * *

Gosh! I hadn't anticipated it to take a month for me to update this! I'm fretfully sorry.

Thanks for all your reviews! I'm certainly going to continue the story, but unfortunately I can't promise regularly updates. Glad you liked the idea with the letters, had to do a bit of research for those. Hope you will continue reading and enjoying the road this story is taking you on ;)

Apel


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